The Civil Rights Hero Cereal Box Project—30 points
Students are to construct a project on a Civil Rights hero using an old cereal box. (Remember that heroes have flaws,
too. That’s what makes them human.) Be sure to consider figures from all walks of life. Those to be considered include
men, women, Black, White, Hispanic, hyphenated-American, and so on. It is up to you to determine who had the
qualities and made the appropriate contribution to our past to be considered an “American hero.”
After researching this figure (using book notes, the internet, and print resources), students will redesign the cereal box
in honor of their hero. The cereal box should be covered in paper (the reverse side of gift wrapping works) and then
redecorated in honor of this Civil Rights Hero.
Requirements
1. Each side of the cereal box must be redesigned with the exception of the small bottom panel of the box. (One top, two
sides, one front, one back for five total parts to be redesigned)
2. The box top should include a brief reference to the most significant contribution that your figure made to American
history. Don’t go into detail here, but use a “grabber” to get your consumer interested in the hero enough to read the
back of your cereal box. 2 Points
3. The bottom of the box should include your name and class period.
4. One side panel of your box should include interesting quotes stated by your figure, and a brief description of the
context in which they were said. 4 points
5. The other side panel of your box should include other interesting facts related to your figure’s life. This could be any
“trivial” information – important relatives, funny facts, strange occurrences, something odd about how the person died, a
funny campaign anecdote, etc. 4 points
6. The front of the box should include should include the name of your cereal box (something creative that relates to
your historical figure) as well as a nice-sized picture of your historical figure and the cereal that is in the box. You can
also attach other little slogans that have something to do with your figure (For example, with FDR one might say “now
available in two new flavors – First and Second New Deal” or for Woodrow Wilson “includes 14 essential vitamins and
minerals – including those found in Alsace Lorraine” or other humorous historical references like that) The front
shouldn’t be overly cluttered with information, but should be appealing to look at – enough so that one would want to
take a look at what’s on the back of the box. 6 Points
7. The back of the box should include the most detailed information about your figure. Here you would include a
biographical essay of your figure. You also need to include the historical events that contributed to your decision to
select this figure as a Civil Rights hero. It should also include a brief disclaimer about any obvious faults that your hero
had…but be certain to celebrate the things that made your person a Civil Rights hero. The back of the box may also
include small pictures of your figure (or pictures related to your figure’s background/event). 10 Points
8. This information should be done neatly – with correct spelling, grammar, etc. It should be typed in a 12-point font
and be no more than one page, obviously. (Except for some of the larger headings or slogans…. those can be
proportionately bigger) The typed information can then be taped or glued to the covered cereal box (but it should be
done neatly). The finished product should look as appealing as a professionally-constructed cereal box (within reason,
of course).
9. On the day that you turn the cereal boxes in, you will also be responsible for giving a 2 minute (maximum)
explanation of your project and the figure that you selected. 4 Points
10. Be sure that all work is done in your own words. The only quotations allowed are those on the side panel of the
box…all of the biographical and historical information must utilize your own thoughts, words, and ideas.
Leaders/Activists
 Martin Luther King Jr.
 Malcolm X
 Ella Baker
 Elijah Muhammad
 Stokely Carmichael
 Floyd McKissick
 James Farmer
 Huey Newton
 Bobby Seale
 A. Philip Randolph
 Diane Nash
 Rev. James Bevel
 Bernard LaFayette
Little Rock Nine
 Melba Pattillo Beals
 Minnijean Brown
 Elizabeth Eckford
 Ernest Green
 Gloria Ray Karlmark
 Carlotta Walls LaNier
 Thelma Mothershed
 Terrence Roberts
 Jefferson Thomas
Victims
 4 Birmingham Girls
 Emmett Till
 Medger Evans
 Jimmy Lee Jackson
Trailblazers
 Charles Hamilton Houston
 Thurgood Marshall
 Rosa Parks
 James Meredith
 Fannie Lou Hamer
 Shirley Chisholm
Miscellaneous
 Jo Ann Gibson Robinson
 Ernest Withers
 Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth
 Alice Walker
Civil Rights Hero Cereal Box Project Scoring guide







Box top “grabber
/2
o Significant contribution to America history
Side panel—quotes
/4
o Statements made by hero and context (time, place)
Side panel—facts/trivia
/4
o Interesting facts, important relatives, funny facts, strange occurrences, etc…
Front of box—name/info
/6
o Name of cereal box, picture (appropriate size), slogan, brief facts
Back of box—detailed info
/10
o Biographical essay, events that make this person a hero, smaller pictures (hero and events
involved in), disclaimer that includes persons faults/mistakes
In class presentation
/4
o 2 minute max explanation of project (why you chose the person you did, interesting things
you learned, legacy…)
Total
/30
Civil Rights Hero Cereal Box Project Scoring guide







Box top “grabber
/2
o Significant contribution to America history
Side panel—quotes
/4
o Statements made by hero and context (time, place)
Side panel—facts/trivia
/4
o Interesting facts, important relatives, funny facts, strange occurrences, etc…
Front of box—name/info
/6
o Name of cereal box, picture (appropriate size), slogan, brief facts
Back of box—detailed info
/10
o Biographical essay, events that make this person a hero, smaller pictures (hero and events
involved in), disclaimer that includes persons faults/mistakes
In class presentation
/4
o 2 minute max explanation of project (why you chose the person you did, interesting things
you learned, legacy…)
Total
/30